5 Things to Do as Obamacare Collapses

Despite President Obama’s claim that Obamacare “is working” — clearly it’s not.

Americans will see double-digit increases in their healthcare.gov premiums, the Obama administration announced Monday. “Before taxpayer-provided subsidies, premiums for a mid-level benchmark plan will increase an average of 25 percent across the 39 states served by the federally run online market,” the Associated Press reported.

Americans cannot be forced to buy health insurance, but they can be taxed for being uninsured — unless they claim an exemption.

Adding insult to injury, there is almost no choice for many consumers: About one in five consumers will pick from plans that have only one insurer, as more and more national insurers drop out.

Even before this announcement, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat and a former Obamacare fan, told news reporters, “The reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable to increasing numbers of people.”

The “Affordable” Care Act is collapsing. Premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, networks, insurance options, exchanges, co-ops, mandates, penalties, enrollment and redistribution (“bailout”) subsidies for health plans are either not working, are shutting down, are not popular, aren’t meeting expectations, are too expensive — or are out of control.

Here are five actions Americans can take as Obamacare unravels right before their eyes:

1.) Find a legal alternative.
According to Chief Justice John Roberts, Americans cannot be forced to buy health insurance, but they can be taxed for being uninsured — unless they claim an exemption. Individuals should check out the nine exemptions, including membership in a health-sharing organization — and the 14 hardship waivers, especially numbers 13 and 14. These say, respectively: “You received a notice saying your current health insurance plan is being cancelled, and you consider the other available plans unaffordable,” and, “You experienced another hardship in obtaining insurance.”

Related: There is No ‘Fix’ for Obamacare

2.) Refuse to aid and abet Obamacare.
The ACA exchanges let federal officials reach into and control the states. By refusing to buy coverage on state exchanges, individuals can financially destabilize this key infrastructure and build momentum to shut down healthcare.gov and the 14 state and D.C. exchanges.

The key to “fixing” Obamacare is to refuse to resuscitate it after it collapses.

3.) Buy individual insurance.
Employees can ask for their entire compensation in cash and buy less expensive insurance policies — or switch to a health-sharing organization. Moving to insurance independence will put dollars and decisions back into individual hands, prevent insurers from siphoning ever-increasing amounts of workers’ wages, provide individual ownership and portability of insurance, prevent pre-existing conditions exclusions related to switching jobs, and limit exposure to job loss-related medical bankruptcies.

Related: Obamacare: Millennials Aren’t Buying It

4.) Find a cash-based practice.
Most Americans will never reach today’s high deductibles. There are options for better care at lower costs. Physicians are opening practices free from government regulations and managed care controls. These third party-free practices often offer timely, confidential, patient-centered care at affordable prices. Patients get more care for their money and a true advocate who keeps their best interests at heart. To find one of these cash-based practices near you, check out The Wedge of Health Freedom.

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5.) Devolve health care back to the states.
Much like the 29 states that refused to expand Medicaid and the 37 states without a state exchange, states can take back health care. Congress has a limited set of enumerated powers. Under the 10th Amendment, all other powers belong to the states and individual citizens. State governors and legislatures can begin to reclaim their legal rights by re-establishing the 35 state high-risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions that existed before Obamacare.

The “Affordable” Care Act is a threat to America and its foundation of freedom. And the key to “fixing” Obamacare is to refuse to resuscitate it after it collapses.

Twila Brase, R.N., named one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Health Care,” is co-founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, a national patient-centered health freedom organization in St. Paul, Minnesota, and of a patient-focused initiative called The Wedge of Health Freedom.